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I would appreciate a little help from you guys with some experience in importing. I want to go travel but still be able to import products to the Netherlands from China while traveling and I'm wondering whether that is possible for me. The thing that determines that is mostly how much it would cost to outsource the inspection of the batch for quality and the likes.

Is it customary or better to have the products/batch inspected before it leaves China? Or is it better to have it inspected when it has arrived in the Netherlands instead? Or is it really necessary to do both?

If it is better to have it inspected in the Netherlands, then how many hours would a prepping company need to inspect let's say a batch of 100 pieces of nightlamps? I don't know wether it is needed to inspect all 100 of them or not. If I have a very rough ballpark of how much time is needed, then I can calculate the cost for the inspection.

I just need a very rough estimation to decide whether traveling is an option at all.

I would appreciate a little help from you guys with some experience in importing. I want to go travel but still be able to import products to the Netherlands from China while traveling and I'm wondering whether that is possible for me. The thing that determines that is mostly how much it would cost to outsource the inspection of the batch for quality and the likes.

1. Is it customary or better to have the products/batch inspected before it leaves China? 2. Or is it better to have it inspected when it has arrived in the Netherlands instead? 3. Or is it really necessary to do both?

If it is better to have it inspected in the Netherlands, then 4. how many hours would a prepping company need to inspect let's say a batch of 100 pieces of nightlamps? I don't know wether it is needed to inspect all 100 of them or not. If I have a very rough ballpark of how much time is needed, then I can calculate the cost for the inspection.

I just need a very rough estimation to decide whether traveling is an option at all.

Thank you very much in advance!

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Let me first say that as an overall principle it can often cost a lot more to not have a professional inspection done than it would cost to have it done.

In answer to your questions:1. Most often it is best to have the products inspected before they leave China. That is usually done prior to shipment when the entire batch is being packed or even already packed, but sometimes, it is done in the factory during production. In the latter case they take samples from the end of the production line.
2. Inspection at the destination is usually a waste of money if it has been inspected before shipping, provided the inspection service is satisfied that packaging is adequate to avoid damage in transit. (Subject to accidents being exempted.)

3. See 2.

4. You will rarely pay for less than 1 man day. If no product testing is specified it would have to be a very large shipment to take more than 1 man day.

Cost will vary from as low as $180 to a more common $300. Local services usually charge less than the big international ones, but you need to be sure that you can trust them. The big, long established companies have a good reputation, but one of them suffered for a while when a dishonest local employee scammed the system. All seems OK now.

Let me first say that as an overall principle it can often cost a lot more to not have a professional inspection done than it would cost to have it done.

In answer to your questions:1. Most often it is best to have the products inspected before they leave China. That is usually done prior to shipment when the entire batch is being packed or even already packed, but sometimes, it is done in the factory during production. In the latter case they take samples from the end of the production line.
2. Inspection at the destination is usually a waste of money if it has been inspected before shipping, provided the inspection service is satisfied that packaging is adequate to avoid damage in transit. (Subject to accidents being exempted.)

3. See 2.4. You will rarely pay for less than 1 man day. If no product testing is specified it would have to be a very large shipment to take more than 1 man day.

Cost will vary from as low as $180 to a more common $300. Local services usually charge less than the big international ones, but you need to be sure that you can trust them. The big, long established companies have a good reputation, but one of them suffered for a while when a dishonest local employee scammed the system. All seems OK now.

Walter

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Super helpful response, thank you so much! I started reading your book on importing a couple days ago and so far I love it